The day after southern Arizona Republicans picked Jesse Kelly to oppose Ron Barber in the special election to replace retired Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, the Arizona Republican party resumed its independent expenditure campaign attacking Barber. The state GOP dropped another $15,000 ($14,497.20, to be exact) for another mailing and phone calls; bringing the April total to more than $125,000.
The money was divided this way: $12,267.00 to Targeted Creative Communications, a Virginia company that specializes in direct mail pieces for Republican causes, and $2,230.20 to Advantage, Inc. - a Virginia company that specializes in using telecommunications to get political messages out. Both companies provided pre-primary services to the AZ GOP.
As noted earlier, the Arizona Republican Party has just recently climbed out of a pool of red ink and is (was) operating with a positive cash on hand less debts owed balance. The positive balance on February 29, 2012 (the last publicly-available date) was approximately $25,000; it is apparent that the state party is receiving funds from elsewhere specifically for this race.
Shane Wikfors, the Director of Communications for the Arizona GOP, continues to not respond to Arizona's Politics' questions about this IE campaign.
If you have received a call or mail piece related to this campaign, please contact me at the phone number or e-mail address listed below.
We welcome your comments about this post. Or, if you have something unrelated on your mind, please e-mail to info-at-arizonaspolitics-dot-com or call 602-799-7025. Thanks.
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Jesse Kelly Supported by Groups Tied to White Supremacists, Neo-Nazis
Jesse Kelly Supported by Groups Tied to White Supremacists, Neo-Nazis
McCain campaign criticized ALIPAC for being among “extreme groups that condone racism”
Apparently no longer satisfied to simply spew out-of-touch rhetoric about eliminating Social Security and imposing a 23 percent tax on southern Arizonans, now Jesse Kelly has doggedly pursued the support of a group with known white supremacist, anti-Semitic and neo-Nazi ties. Kelly accepted the endorsement of Americans for Legal Immigration or ALIPAC - the same group that Senator John McCain’s spokesman condemned earlier this year as “backed by white supremacists, neo-Nazis and anti-Semites.” McCain’s office went further, characterizing ALIPAC as an “extreme groups that condone[s] racism.”
The neo-Nazi backers of ALIPAC include Stormfront, Vinlanders Social Club, European Americans United and David Duke, according to the Anti-Defamation League.
ALIPAC has also come under heavy criticism for “bigotry” and “extreme rhetoric” and an agenda that “goes beyond the enforcement of immigration laws,” all the way to “demoniz[ing] immigrants as drunk drivers, gang members, invaders, murderers, and disease-carriers.”
Given ALIPAC's record with the White Supremacist movement, McCain's spokesman Brian Rogers demanded in February that JD Hayworth, “immediately disavow this group’s support.”
Yet Jesse Kelly shows no signs of discomfort with ALIPAC’s “extremist rhetoric.” In his questionnaire seeking ALIPAC’s endorsement this year, Kelly signed a pledge that he would use “the full power of my office, including impeachment if necessary” to force the President to bow to the group’s radical demands.
“Another NRCC Young Gun candidate, another Nazi tie -- it should come as no surprise. Apparently Jesse Kelly’s support is so weak that he’s begging for help from groups on the racist fringe -- even one that Senator McCain’s office has called out,” said Andy Stone, Western Regional Press Secretary for the Democratic Congressional Committee. “Jesse Kelly should be strong enough to stand up a group backed by anti-Semites and White Supremacists. But so far, he just hasn’t shown the political courage.”
Background
According to the Phoenix New Times, the McCain campaign called on JD Hayworth to reject the ALIPAC endorsement due to the groups’ anti-Semitic, white supremacist and neo-Nazi ties. [Phoenix New Times, 2/24/10]
The ADL has criticized ALIPAC's founder for comparing immigrants to Nazis and for falsely claiming that immigrants "have set up ethnic cleansing zones." [Anti-Defamation League website, accessed 10/16/10]
Jesse Kelly filled out the ALIPAC questionnaire, promising to use the full power of the office, including impeachment, to further the group’s goals. [ALIPAC website, accessed 10/16/10]
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